What’s up and coming in the beauty and skin care world? We talked to dermatologist Joyce Davis, MD, who is in private practice in New York City, about what her patients are excited about. Then, we combed through store aisles to keep you up-to-date on what’s beautiful now.
1. Multi-Taskers.
"The latest trend in beauty/skin care is products that multitask," says Davis. "Now, your makeup has not only sunscreen, but depending on your age and skin type, it may also have ingredients to fight acne or signs of aging." After all, "We’re all too busy to bother with several products in the morning."
Here are a few multi-taskers that are popular right now:
All-in-one skin care products. BB (also known as beauty or blemish balm) and CC (color corrector) creams that offer concealer, primer, moisturizer, sunscreen and light color-correcting foundation for a range of skin types and tones can be purchased in drug stores, supermarkets, and department stores. BB creams work like tinted moisturizers, while CC creams offer a bit more coverage to correct irregular skin tones. Here are some current options:
- Maybelline’s BB cream moisturizes, protects the skin with an SPF (sun protection factor) 30 sunscreen, and corrects irregular skin tone for about $9 per tube.
- Bobbi Brown’s BB cream offers all the coverage of a tinted moisturizer plus an SPF of 35 for $44 a tube.
- Olay’s line of CC creams offer products for pore minimizing, anti-aging and acne treatment along with color correction, sunscreen, and moisturizer for between $19 and $22 per bottle.
Multi-tasking makeup. Whether it’s because of travel, a busy schedule, or limited counter space, we love products that serve more than one purpose, like an eyeliner pencil that works overtime as a brow-filler and eye shadow, or any color cosmetic product that works multi-feature magic. Here are a few to check out:
- Wet-n-Wild’s basic brown is a staple for many makeup artists at about $1 per pencil.
- Covergirl’s Liquiline Blast in Brown Blaze provides rich color that glides on easily and stays on all day for about $5-7 per pencil.
- MAC's eye shadow compacts are packed with colors that apply evenly with a brush. Try Brun (a blackish-brown) as a liner, shadow, and brow filler for about $16 per compact.
- Bobbi Brown’s Pot Rouge adds delicious color to lips, lids, and cheeks for $22.
2. Natural Beauty
There’s a huge push right now to turn your makeup bag green. Instead of relying on cosmetics and skin care products filled with chemicals, fragrances, colors and dyes, many makeup and skin care professionals are turning to Mother Nature’s beauty arsenal. Coconut, olive and almond oil, aloe vera, witch hazel and even baking soda and vinegar are becoming increasingly popular as skin cleansers, makeup removers, acne and anti-aging treatments, and moisturizers. You can even make them yourself following recipes and directions available in Adina Grigore’s book, Skin Cleanse (HarperWave, February 17, 2015).
Brands like Burt’s Bees, Bare Minerals and Lush specialize in these kind of natural products, which often contain herbs, minerals, fruits and vegetables, natural waxes, oils and creams and no parabens (the most widely used preservatives in cosmetics, soaps, and other personal care products, parabens have been found in breast cancer tumors), unnatural dyes, or chemicals. Most natural products are also not tested on animals, which earns them the label cruelty free. As Seema Dhillon, public relations officer at Lush explains, "At Lush, we use fresh fruits and vegetables because fruit receives a constant flow of energy from the tree, so the minute it leaves the branch it starts to decompose. The sooner it’s used, the higher its nutrients, and the greater the benefit to your skin."
3. Love the Skin You’re In
Perhaps the most empowering current beauty trend—as evidenced by the #Flawless hastag that accompanies so many selfies posted to Instagram—is the trend to simply love the skin you’re in. Take care of your skin by taking care of your health. Stay hydrated, eat and sleep well, and exercise. Then, take a close look in the mirror and repeat after me: "Hey gorgeous—you look great!"
Joyce Davis, MD, reviewed this article.
Sources
Joyce Davis, MD. General and Cosmetic Dermatology. Interviewed June 23, 2015.
Seema Dhillon. Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics. Interviewed June 30, 2015.
Skin Cleanse. HarperCollins Publishers. 2015.
Darbre PD, A. Aljarrah, W.R. Miller, N.G. Coldham, M.J. Sauer, G.S. Pope. "Concentrations of Parabens in Human Breast Tumours." J Appl Toxicol 24, 1 ((2004): 5-13.
